In our post, way back on Monday, we featured a how-to on deciduous branching (more to come later today). In the post I said that Bonsai Today 66 is in stock. Well, it’s not. I was wrong and over the last couple days, several of you have tried to order it. My apologies for getting your hopes up. However, most issues of Bonsai Today are still in stock, including almost every one after 66 and many before 66, including some old rare very slightly used ones.
This strangely dressed but somehow still noble gentleman will put his penetrating stare to work when he judges our $100 Bonsai Art Photography Contest (Sir Lyman Poore Duff, former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Canada; from Wikipedia).
Win a $40.00 gift certificate with a good eye and a little luck
All you have to do is submit your entry and you’re in the contest. Here’s how it works: if you pick the three winners in exact order you’ll win a $40.00 gift certificate to Stone Lantern. In other words, if your first place choice wins first place, your second place choice wins second place and your third place choice wins third place, then you’re a winner.
Win a $10.00 gift certificate with a pretty good eye and even less luck
If you pick the three winners, no matter the order, you’ll win a $10.00 gift certificate to Stone Lantern.
The sky blue pot is the perfect compliment to the light pink flowers on this powerful Satsuki Azalea that resides at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington DC. There are a multitude of cultivars in the Satsuki group of azaleas. This one is a ‘Nikko.’ It was donated to the museum by Masayuki Nakamura.
As you read this…
… one of the best and most breathtaking exhibits of blooming satsuki azaleas is taking place at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. It has already started (May 29th) but don’t despair, it runs until June 13th.
Even if you miss this one
It’s always worth a trip to the Museum.
Just in case
If you need a good book or some shears for your Satsuki azaleas, we have them at Stone Lantern:
Satsuki Azaleas for bonsai and azalea enthusiasts, published by Stone Lantern. Professional grade carbon steel satsuki shears. Masters’ grade stainless satsuki shears.
These illustrations represent a page from Bonsai Today issue 66 (in stock at Stone Lantern). It’s the first of a five page series on ramification (branching) that we are running over two posts.
Ramification equals branch development
Ramification literally means branch development, or how branches growing. However, when it comes to the art of bonsai (and especially deciduous bonsai) it has come to mean branch development that displays a couple key features: taper and fine branching. These features are critical when it comes to developing quality deciduous bonsai.
Deciduous trees develop rapidly….
… but they also lose their shape rapidly. In other words, with the application of some precise pruning and pinching, you can create excellent fine branching on deciduous trees in just a few years. But it’s an on going process that requires continued precise pruning and pinching to maintain.
Pinching back. Notice that is it says the pinching back is done “from the end of March to the end of April.” Exactly when this should occur where you live, depends upon your climate (the original article is from somewhere around Tokyo, Japan; which is about the same latitude as Charlotte, NC). Here in northern Vermont it’s more like from mid to late May until mid to late June.
Stay posted for the second installment
We’ll run the second installment sometime in the next few days. It includes a work calendar (for the Tokyo area, so you’ll have to adjust) for deciduous trees.
Our very own Kokufu
All you last minute procrastinators are in luck. You can still sign up for the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition and enjoy the best of the of US bonsai and be part of the early stages of our very own Kokufu. Really, you’ll be thanking me for reminding you for a long time.
The 2008 Album is still available. When it’s gone (and you’ve collected the next ten albums) you’ll kick yourself for waiting.
“Started electric kiln tonight, and unloading gas kiln in morning and immediately reloading and starting to fire it again. Both kilns being fired at same time Saturday. I guess it will be a good weekend to clean the pond. No bike riding this weekend! Finally rested up from my all night firing ( after all day working) a couple days ago.” From Dale’s wall photos on facebook.
Speaking of pots and things
We’ll, we don’t sell pots, but we do sell things (books, tools, fertilizers, wire, kenzans, netsuke and more) at whooping big discounts. Really, take a look and you’ll see.
Submitted by Cheryl Styles, who writes: “This is obviously not a photo of a whole tree but I found the bark so interesting I decided on that instead. I am easily distracted :)”
Judging
Stay posted to find out how you can become one of our illustrious judges
Marc Keane’s latest addition to the wonderful world of Japanese gardens. Hardcover- 10 1/2″ x 8 1.4″ – 284 pages – 117 color photos & illustrations
More than just another Japanese garden book
Though it features numerous world class Japanese gardens, this beautiful, richly photographed and illustrated volume is much more than just another Japanese garden book. Marc Peter Keane, renowned author and designer takes you on a guided tour of Japanese tea gardens, from ancient times to the modern day. It’s a journey that looks at how social. religious. aesthetic, and philosophical influences combined over hundreds of years to produce one of the world’s most transcendent forms of landscape art.
Photos
Though I admire Marc Keane and his contributions to the art of Japanese gardens and gardening, my one small disappointment about this book is the fairly significant number of photos that have appeared in other books. In spite of this, I consider this lovely volume a genuine ground breaker.
Greg Madson submitted this photo along with these comments: “This is part of my own study of the geometrics of presentation. It’s a three year old Rosmarinus officinalis, Prostrata cascade 16.5 cm from top to btm (6.5 inches). I love the arc structures of the long branches that this particular variety produces. Creating a presentation that shows off the curves, angles, and depth of a tree is worth the effort.”
Fifteen down one to go
The contest is closed and all the entries have been posted, save for the very last one (tomorrow!).
Judge not (NOT!)
Stay posted for information on how you can help judge this contest and maybe win something in the process.